The launch of the art book Vitu vya Sanaa: A methodology for crafting meaningful objects took place on Friday, the 28th of April 2023 from 2-5 pm at the Design Studios of the University of Nairobi, Architecture, Design and Development Building. The main purpose of the book is to outline a methodology by which one can seek out and develop motifs and designs from objects encountered on their everyday journeys – the matatu speakers and their unique forms of mounting acting as a case study.

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These speakers were the vessel by which we traversed various forms of textile and jewellery. Exploring the kanga, the East African fabric featuring various motifs and sayings, the iconic Ashanti jewellery and Adinkra symbols from Ghana and the boteh/buta motifs of Iranian and Indian origin that famously decorate bandana fabric. This presentation focused on the process of developing the kangas from the initial matatu speaker photographs all the way to the final digitally printed textile.

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The book launch featured an introduction to the work by Adam Yawe, exploring how it came to be and the thoughts and ideas that influenced it.

This was followed by a Q&A session and capped off with an oral presentation by Kabage Karanja of Cave Bureau whose practice bears many similarities to the themes traversed by the book.

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This work was supported by a grant from the Karun Thakkar fund facilitated by the V&A museum